Season-low 369-team score carries Napa Valley College men's golf to Big 8 Conference win
Second photo: Stephen Nefsky is shown for the Napa Valley College men's golf team.
Photos by Marty James
By MARTY JAMES
Napa Valley College shot a season-low 369-team score and won a Big 8 Conference-North Division men's golf tournament on Wednesday at The Reserve at Spanos Park in Stockton.
All six players in the Napa Valley lineup posted scores in the 70s.
"I saw a lot of great golf out there. They really executed and they were fired up," said Napa Valley head coach Bob Freschi. "The course was playing gettable. The wind is its defense. There wasn't much wind out there. The fairways were firm. They got good roll. The greens were firm.
"We were just really aggressive. We have depth and we have firepower."
Stephen Nefsky fired an even-par 72 and led six players for Napa Valley all shooting scores in the 70s, on one of the greatest days of the season for the Storm.
"Back in the winning circle," said Freschi.
It was the fifth win of the Big 8 Conference season for Napa Valley.
Napa Valley is in first place in the Big 8 Conference North Division.
Nick DeBellis, Ben Wilhite and Max Taylor each carded 2-over-par 74's.
Tyler Momono and Miguel Chavez, playing in the Storm's lineup for the first time, posted 3-over-par 75's.
"It's a very talented group. They compete, not only in matches, but also in practice," said Freschi. "So, it's just a matter of them getting to be disciplined and mature in their game and confident of their go-to shot, knowing the situations and what club are you going to pull.
"There's a lot of things you need to be confident with."
Tying for second place was San Joaquin Delta College-Stockton and Modesto Junior College, each with 373 team scores. Sierra College-Rocklin was fourth with a 380-team score.
"Good scores throughout the whole field," said Freschi.
Freschi said he did not see the scores being posted until very late in the day, as he was following Chavez on the course.
"I didn't come in to see the scoreboard until our No. 6, Miguel (Chavez) was on the 18th green. Nick (DeBellis) gave me the double thumbs up. I knew we were in a good place. I didn't know how good it was. Just really phenomenal. Hats off to all of them. That was Miguel's first match that counted. He played really solid," said Freschi.
DeBellis played in the No. 1 spot in the lineup, followed by Momono at No. 2, Wilhite at No. 3, Nefsky at No. 4, Taylor at No. 5 and Chavez at No. 6.
"I moved guys around (Wednesday)," said Freschi. "When I was about to give the official scorecards out, I said, 'Hey gentlemen, you're all No. 1's. You have to really believe that. Don't think you're a No. 4 or 6. Golf doesn't care where you play in the lineup. You're all No. 1's.' That was the message. They understood it.
"This game, it doesn't matter what time you tee off. Every stroke matters. You have to perform for us."
Napa Valley plays in its next Big 8 Conference tournament on Monday, April 7 at the Old Course at Half Moon Bay Golf Links at 12 p.m.
* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019 after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016, the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Napa High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.